Strides: What are they and Why you should do them

Sometimes you hear running lingo tossed around, but have no idea what it really means. Like strides. What exactly are they and why do runners do them? Finding out what strides are and how they can help you can really contribute positively to you running, whether you consider yourself “fast” or not.

What are Strides?

Strides are periods of running that incorporate a short burst of fast running at a sub-maximal effort. Let’s break that down even more. A “stride” can be anywhere from 50 meters to 100 meters in total length (think the straightaway of the track or the distance between two telephone polls or the distance back and forth in front of your house). To run a stride break that distance into thirds: in the first third jog and slowly build speed, in the middle third run fast at 80-90 percent of max effort or just below what a sprint would feel like, and in the final third decelerate back down to a jog. To “run strides” you would run several sets of these thirds, walking around for 20-30 seconds after the completion of the stride to recover before running the next stride.

Why Should I do them?

Strides are essential for every runner, whether or not you consider yourself “fast” or “competitive” and here’s why:

Strides Build Foot Strength: When running fast, either for the duration of a race or in a short sprint to the finish, you’re form and foot strike are different than when you run slow. You run more erect, you feet turnover more quickly and you push off from the balls of your feet. Take a look at the foot prints left by my strides on the beach, on the left you’ll see my striding foot strike which shows I’m pushing off from the toe and on the right you’ll see my jogging foot strike which shows I’m strike with my whole foot.

Helps Prevent Injury: Running strides, especially running strides barefoot on a soft surface like sand or a turf field, can help build overall foot strength and prevent injury. Running strides as a precursor to more intense track workouts can help prepare your body for the stress of faster running: ligaments, tendons and muscles that are recruited during fast running have a chance to adapt. If you’ve had some time off from running speed work consider several week so of stride workouts to prepare you.

Increases Foot Turn-Over: If you want to run faster, your feet have to turn over more quickly. Running strides strengthens the neuromuscular pathways for faster turnover and therefor faster running. Running strides on a slight decline can really aid in getting a faster turnover rate.

Encourages Proper Running Form: When we run faster our form and stride naturally become more efficient, or at least to a certain extent within the limitations of your biomechanics. Running strides can help develop better running form by encouraging you to forefoot strike, run erect and turn over your feet more quickly.

How Should I do them?

Strides can be done on the track, on the road, barefoot on the beach or barefoot on a field (be sure the field is safe and free of debris beforehand). You can perform them before a hard track workout as a warm up or after an easy run. Strides are also a great way to return to speed workout after some time off (think injury or pregnancy/postpartum). Here’s a great stride workout to incorporate into your weekly schedule as a precursor to intervals if you’re coming back from a break:

Great post – so much helpful information! Once I incorporated strides into my training, I wondered where they had been all my life 🙂

a) they’re fun. Who doesn’t want to run like they did as a kid?
b) they help keep me honest with running “easy runs easy.” If I don’t feel up to a few strides after an easy run, there’s no way my run was truly easy!

Thanks Sarah! You always write such informative and helpful posts on running! I’ve been working with my fourteen year old daughter, as well as myself, on hill repeats and will guide her to incorporate strides too, after easy runs! My daughter is becoming a great, motivating running buddy!

I used to do strides every now and then, really the week or two before a race. I didn’t much about the “why” you should do them, so thanks for the info! I’ll have to slowly start adding some in. Got the clear to run after having a run with no issues – just have to focus on doing it slowly.

Great overview, Sarah! I did strides a bit more regularly over this last year but I’m not great at getting them in. I do like how they can be thrown into an easy run and are much less taxing than traditional speed work. So many benefits!